http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/
Cliff Oxford - Cliff Oxford Blog - ForbesCliff Oxford's stories. Cliff Oxford Blog: I cover entrepreneurs who are selling or exiting their business.Copyright 2015 Forbes LLChttp://0.gravatar.com/avatar/4f529b4ce6c8242f6307373acf286aad?s=400&amp;d=http%3A%2F%2F0.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D400&amp;r=Ghttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2015/07/10/how-a-great-business-can-go-out-of-business-how-owners-beg-for-a-bad-exit/
How A Great Business Can Go Out Of Business: How Owners Beg For A Bad ExitAll us entrepreneurs know not every business is going to survive. But when a business that appears to be roaring with success shutters, it's startling. Customers are always left confused and thinking, “what happened? How did a great business go away?”Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/559fd0aee4b0dee0681ffdf8Fri, 10 Jul 2015 10:15:00 -04002015-07-10T10:15:00-04:00All us entrepreneurs know not every business is going to survive. But when a business that appears to be roaring with success shutters, it's startling. Customers are always left confused and thinking, “what happened? How did a great business go away?”http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2015/06/22/how-entrepreneurs-can-trump-donald-trump/
How Entrepreneurs Can Trump Donald TrumpNow what? This is an unexpected question many entrepreneurs face after successfully exiting and selling their businesses. Life after selling can be a mixed bag of good and bad, but surprisingly often, just sheer misery. What causes the misery?Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/5588230ee4b01f0c1d93a470Mon, 22 Jun 2015 11:41:00 -04002015-06-22T11:41:00-04:00Now what? This is an unexpected question many entrepreneurs face after successfully exiting and selling their businesses. Life after selling can be a mixed bag of good and bad, but surprisingly often, just sheer misery. What causes the misery?http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2015/06/09/code-red-hr-alert/
Code Red HR AlertRed HR Alert. A really bad idea is going around HR circles faster than lightning bugs flying inside a mason jar in Mid-July. Since posting my Happy Talk blog on corporate culture last year, I have really tried to stay out of HR's hair, especially since the blog got me uninvited to speak at a SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management) meeting. How bad do you have to be to get uninvited to an HR meeting, usually some very diplomatic folks? HR now suggests replacing the ‘exit interview’ with the ‘stay interview.’ See previous blogs on how silly I’ve always said the exit interview is in the first place. Now even worse is the stay interview, where according to HR experts, you practically get down on hand and knee and ask the employee what it will take to get them to never leave the company.Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/55772d6ce4b01f0c1d93611aTue, 9 Jun 2015 15:24:00 -04002015-06-09T15:24:00-04:00Red HR Alert. A really bad idea is going around HR circles faster than lightning bugs flying inside a mason jar in Mid-July. Since posting my Happy Talk blog on corporate culture last year, I have really tried to stay out of HR's hair, especially since the blog got me uninvited to speak at a SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management) meeting. How bad do you have to be to get uninvited to an HR meeting, usually some very diplomatic folks? HR now suggests replacing the ‘exit interview’ with the ‘stay interview.’ See previous blogs on how silly I’ve always said the exit interview is in the first place. Now even worse is the stay interview, where according to HR experts, you practically get down on hand and knee and ask the employee what it will take to get them to never leave the company.http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2015/05/29/how-joes-bbq-got-ranked-the-best-bbq-in-the-country-by-tripadvisor/
How Joe's BBQ Got Ranked The Best BBQ In The Country By TripAdvisorTripAdvisor.com, based in Newton, MA announced last Wednesday that Joe’s BBQ in Blue Ridge, GA was the best BBQ restaurant in the country. That’s big news here in the South, but it went national fast. Major media like CNN, Huffington Post and Fox News poured fuel on the story by repeating it over and over.Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/55686c89e4b01f0c1d9320cbFri, 29 May 2015 09:53:00 -04002015-05-29T09:53:00-04:00TripAdvisor.com, based in Newton, MA announced last Wednesday that Joe’s BBQ in Blue Ridge, GA was the best BBQ restaurant in the country. That’s big news here in the South, but it went national fast. Major media like CNN, Huffington Post and Fox News poured fuel on the story by repeating it over and over.http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2015/04/22/these-three-characteristics-will-earn-you-a-fat-check-good-exit/
These Three Characteristics Will Earn You A Fat Check, 'Good' ExitAs a follow-up to my column about the “good, bad, and ugly” of entrepreneurs exiting their companies, my next three posts will be about real life examples for each starting with the “good”.Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/553797f3e4b0521fc5655de0Wed, 22 Apr 2015 09:02:00 -04002015-04-22T09:02:00-04:00As a follow-up to my column about the “good, bad, and ugly” of entrepreneurs exiting their companies, my next three posts will be about real life examples for each starting with the “good”.http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2015/03/09/how-entrepreneurs-lose-control-of-their-companies-youve-exited-but-dont-know-it/
How Entrepreneurs Lose Control Of Their Companies: 'You've Exited But Don't Know It'When entrepreneurs sell their companies, it’s often like watching the same three TV reruns over and over. You might call them the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. The Good rerun is one of exhilaration where the entrepreneur does an end zone dance celebration. The Bad rerun is one where the entrepreneur exhales because it is basically a ‘breakeven’ deal. The third rerun, the Ugly, is one of total embarrassment where the entrepreneurs liquidate in a fire sale, or even worse, a posse of predators steals their company out from under them.Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/54fdaab1e4b058f5b4330fc8Mon, 9 Mar 2015 10:26:00 -04002015-03-09T10:26:00-04:00When entrepreneurs sell their companies, it’s often like watching the same three TV reruns over and over. You might call them the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. The Good rerun is one of exhilaration where the entrepreneur does an end zone dance celebration. The Bad rerun is one where the entrepreneur exhales because it is basically a ‘breakeven’ deal. The third rerun, the Ugly, is one of total embarrassment where the entrepreneurs liquidate in a fire sale, or even worse, a posse of predators steals their company out from under them.http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2014/12/12/these-3-self-inflicting-wounds-make-atlanta-falcons-a-fast-growth-failure/
These 3 Self-Inflicting Wounds Made Atlanta Falcons a Fast Growth FailureIt is one thing to start a company and never really get any traction but it is shear gut wrenching agony when you start with fast success, build high expectations and then the leadership just absolutely blows it with self-inflicted wounds spiraling the company downward. I know we read a lot [...]Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/548b569fe4b0f8beaaae167dFri, 12 Dec 2014 16:46:00 -05002014-12-12T16:46:00-05:00It is one thing to start a company and never really get any traction but it is shear gut wrenching agony when you start with fast success, build high expectations and then the leadership just absolutely blows it with self-inflicted wounds spiraling the company downward. I know we read a lot [...]http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2014/12/03/do-your-employees-possess-these-nine-basic-instincts-needed-for-fast-growth/
Do Your Employees Possess These Nine Basic Instincts Needed For Fast Growth?I've read a great deal of articles recently on what kind of employees you need to hire to grow a company. I think they are all missing the point when they list skills and personality attributes needed for an employee to work in an entrepreneurial culture. Below are the nine basic instincts needed to thrive in fast growth:Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/547f5aa2e4b0f8beaaadf137Wed, 3 Dec 2014 14:18:00 -05002014-12-03T14:18:00-05:00I've read a great deal of articles recently on what kind of employees you need to hire to grow a company. I think they are all missing the point when they list skills and personality attributes needed for an employee to work in an entrepreneurial culture. Below are the nine basic instincts needed to thrive in fast growth:http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2014/10/06/10-traits-to-look-for-when-hiring-the-marketing-genius-who-will-grow-your-company-exponentially/
10 Traits To Look For When Hiring The Marketing Genius Who Will Grow Your Company ExponentiallyWhen I am looking and interviewing for a marketing genius, I immediately disqualify anybody with a marketing degree because the business schools have incorrectly trained their students (and it takes too long to un-train them.) I am not picking on academia here because the schools get an “A” in training accountants.
Here are a few guidelines to find this rare bird, the marketing genius, that can help you grow your company as big as the exponential ideas behind it (we'll just assume that you have the infrastructure and leadership team it will take to get there):Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/543297b8e4b0563af2c49c68Mon, 6 Oct 2014 09:39:00 -04002014-10-06T09:39:00-04:00When I am looking and interviewing for a marketing genius, I immediately disqualify anybody with a marketing degree because the business schools have incorrectly trained their students (and it takes too long to un-train them.) I am not picking on academia here because the schools get an “A” in training accountants.
Here are a few guidelines to find this rare bird, the marketing genius, that can help you grow your company as big as the exponential ideas behind it (we'll just assume that you have the infrastructure and leadership team it will take to get there):http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2014/08/27/use-these-16-irrefutable-negotiation-tactics-to-get-what-you-deserve/
Use These 16 Irrefutable Negotiation Tactics To Get What You DeserveSuccessful negotiations now require creative marketing, sales and strategy; not the traditional "pound the table" tactics of the past. However, one thing remains constant in business: you don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate. So go get what you want.Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/53fe0713e4b0bb45818b63edWed, 27 Aug 2014 12:51:00 -04002014-08-27T12:51:00-04:00Successful negotiations now require creative marketing, sales and strategy; not the traditional "pound the table" tactics of the past. However, one thing remains constant in business: you don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate. So go get what you want.http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2014/08/08/how-to-get-more-for-your-horses/
How To Get More For Your HorsesAs an entrepreneur, negotiation is all about whose market reality prevails, sometimes known as known as “horse-trading.”Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/53e52f7fe4b0bb45818b00e9Fri, 8 Aug 2014 16:55:00 -04002014-08-08T16:55:00-04:00As an entrepreneur, negotiation is all about whose market reality prevails, sometimes known as known as “horse-trading.”http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2014/08/04/quit-being-right-and-start-getting-results-in-your-company/
Quit Being Right And Start Getting Results In Your CompanyTo succeed with a fast growth company, you need to learn to be a quitter.Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/53dfb146e4b074082b2ecca1Mon, 4 Aug 2014 14:10:00 -04002014-08-04T14:10:00-04:00To succeed with a fast growth company, you need to learn to be a quitter.http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2014/07/22/millennials-mentoring-executives/
Millennials Mentoring Executives: It's a Brave New WorldTalk about a hotbed of true entrepreneurial activity - I recently saw it and felt it at the Ace Hotel in New York City. Think of how the Woodstock rock festival capitalized on a big idea of like-minded, free spirits meeting up with little planning. This 4.5 star Ace Hotel is [...]Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/53ceb945e4b008749a578278Tue, 22 Jul 2014 16:06:00 -04002014-07-22T16:06:00-04:00Talk about a hotbed of true entrepreneurial activity - I recently saw it and felt it at the Ace Hotel in New York City. Think of how the Woodstock rock festival capitalized on a big idea of like-minded, free spirits meeting up with little planning. This 4.5 star Ace Hotel is [...]http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2014/07/10/real-entrepreneurs-dont-unplug-to-recharge/
Real Entrepreneurs Don't Unplug To RechargeWith vacation season in full bloom, many entrepreneurs and their teams feel the need to "unplug" or totally disconnect emotionally and electronically from work. My advice is if you want to relax and recharge with peace of mind then you better stay "plugged in" - at least on what I [...]Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/53bd993ae4b0ea12adfd240fThu, 10 Jul 2014 10:23:00 -04002014-07-10T10:23:00-04:00With vacation season in full bloom, many entrepreneurs and their teams feel the need to "unplug" or totally disconnect emotionally and electronically from work. My advice is if you want to relax and recharge with peace of mind then you better stay "plugged in" - at least on what I [...]http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2014/06/30/trouble-in-paradise-why-business-incubators-dont-work/
Trouble In Paradise: Why Business Incubators Don't WorkLoretta Lynn’s big 1974 hit "Trouble in Paradise," opened with the lyric “I can see it and I know the signs so well.” Our local radio legend "Big Jeff" Aldridge, must have played this song 1,000 times when it hit the airwaves. As I heard it sometimes six or seven times [...]Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/53b1e4a4e4b0ea12adfcf37cMon, 30 Jun 2014 18:56:00 -04002014-06-30T18:56:00-04:00Loretta Lynn’s big 1974 hit "Trouble in Paradise," opened with the lyric “I can see it and I know the signs so well.” Our local radio legend "Big Jeff" Aldridge, must have played this song 1,000 times when it hit the airwaves. As I heard it sometimes six or seven times [...]http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2014/06/27/the-biggest-whopper-ever-told-the-early-adopter-theory/
The Biggest Whopper Ever Told: The Early Adopter TheoryI call it the Whopper Strategy – tell a lie long enough and loud enough and soon enough people will accept it as fact, just like in the past when many believed the earth was flat or like right now when many think that global warming is a hoax. Yes, [...]Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/53ad885ae4b0ea12adfcde9aFri, 27 Jun 2014 13:19:00 -04002014-06-27T13:19:00-04:00I call it the Whopper Strategy – tell a lie long enough and loud enough and soon enough people will accept it as fact, just like in the past when many believed the earth was flat or like right now when many think that global warming is a hoax. Yes, [...]http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2014/06/23/time-out-stop-wasting-your-time-trying-to-build-a-company-culture/
Time Out! Stop Wasting Your Time Trying To Build A Company CultureI am calling a “time-out” on the reading of any more articles, books, or publications on the subject of company culture. I can’t take it anymore. My brain’s bilge pump that normally filters out useless information has runneth over with this fantasy that culture comes first and trumps strategy, systems [...]Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/53a8577fe4b04a1636e34f99Mon, 23 Jun 2014 13:21:00 -04002014-06-23T13:21:00-04:00I am calling a “time-out” on the reading of any more articles, books, or publications on the subject of company culture. I can’t take it anymore. My brain’s bilge pump that normally filters out useless information has runneth over with this fantasy that culture comes first and trumps strategy, systems [...]http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2014/06/11/22/
Hard And Fast Lessons From California ChromeWith a big champion’s heart, meager investment and a modest pedigree, California Chrome, winner of the Preakness and Kentucky Derby, was the perfect personification of the entrepreneurial horse until last Saturday when the horse, jockey, and owner blew it at the Belmont Stakes. Now that the dust has settled from Saturday's race with [...]Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/53988bd5e4b080433ebd7cbaWed, 11 Jun 2014 13:17:00 -04002014-06-11T13:17:00-04:00With a big champion’s heart, meager investment and a modest pedigree, California Chrome, winner of the Preakness and Kentucky Derby, was the perfect personification of the entrepreneurial horse until last Saturday when the horse, jockey, and owner blew it at the Belmont Stakes. Now that the dust has settled from Saturday's race with [...]http://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/2014/06/03/change-is-tough-and-ugly-now-go-do-it/
Change Is Tough And Ugly - Now Go Do ItI had to laugh out loud when I saw the picture cross my screen. It was one of those motivational posters with dolphins on it and had a heading that said "Sea, Change is Easy." Later that day I had another laugh seeing an ad for a speech on "Coaching [...]Cliff Oxford, ContributorCliff Oxford, Contributorhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/cliffoxford/538de2f1e4b071bceff3a32bTue, 3 Jun 2014 12:16:00 -04002014-06-03T12:16:00-04:00I had to laugh out loud when I saw the picture cross my screen. It was one of those motivational posters with dolphins on it and had a heading that said "Sea, Change is Easy." Later that day I had another laugh seeing an ad for a speech on "Coaching [...]